Diorama construction



March 1943. H. H. LOWENSTEIN DIQRAMA CONSTRUCTION Filed May 5, 1941 Patented Mar. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIQBAMA CONSTRUCTION Herman H. Lowemtein, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 5, 1941, Serial No. 391,845

Claims.

vide an article of the character described having a three dimensional scene or diorama associated therewith to comprise a portion of the intelligence conveyed thereby.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction for an article of the character described having a dioramic scene associated therewith.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be constructed in a mode which is economical and simple, and which will result in a sturdy and well formed article capable of being adapted to a variety of forms and attractive designs.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying "drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being .understood that various changes in the form. proportion, size and-minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding-of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many ofits advantages should be'readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawing in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a somewhat different embodiment.

The basic elements of my invention comprise a member having a cavity therein within which the diorama is adapted to be formed, said member being adapted to fit into a second member which is provided with a windowthrough which the diorama can be viewed. Features of the invention generally include forming the "inner and outer members to removably telescope within one another so that the one strengthens the other to permit mailing and rough handling, providingthe article with a cover or protective flap which covers,

up the window and face of the article to permit mailing without additional wrapping, and forming the article as a frontispiece member for a book.

The reference character [0 designates an outer covering member which I prefer forming from an ordinary knock-down box well known in the trade. As shown in Fig. 2, the outer covering member is provided with a folding extension or flap H on each of its ends which cooperates with tabs I2 in the usual manner to permit the ends of the box to be closed.

The front wall l3 of the outer covering member ID is provided with a window [4 having a transparent member I5 attached to the inner face in registry therewith. The face of th wall 13 is adapted to receive intelligence, such as a greeting message which may cooperate with the window or a scene visible therethrough to convey a message. An example of such message is shown in Fig 5.

An inner member iii of any desired form is provided. A simple form might be a sheet member having a cavity, but in the preferred form I propose utilizing a sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2, having front and rear walls I1 and I8, and side walls l9 and 20. The front and rear walls are provided with overlying flaps which are glued together to form one of the side walls l9. The ends of the member iii are open.

Obviously the inner member could be formed from paper tubes, sleeves, paste-up or knockdown boxes, or any other means adapted to have a cavity formed therein and be capable of association with the outer covering member iii in the manner described.

The front wall ll of the member I6 is provided with an opening II of the same general configuration as the window with which it is intended to register when the members l0 and iii are in assembled condition, thereby enabling the cavity formed to be viewed through the window 84.

A dish-like member 22 is inserted into the opening 2| and held in the member l8. In the illustrated embodiment the member 22 is formed from a cardboard blank bent and folded in a well known manner to have a body consisting of a rear wall 23, side walls 24, a top wall 25, and a bottom wall 23. The insertion of 'the body within the opening 2| forms a compartment in.

the member 16 having its front side opening to the face of the wall I1. Each of the four side walls of the member 22 has a folded extension or flange 21 which overlies the face of the wall I! serving to maintain the member 22 in position. If desired, tabs 28 may be provided in the wall I] to cooperate with the flanges 21 to hold the member 22 in position and also facilitate the assembly of the member l6 within the member l0. f

The member 22 forming the compartment is adapted to be provided with objects or scenes by pasting, gluing or clipping said object or scenes i ping, a hingedly attached cover member 35 is provided having a folding extension or flap 33 which is adapted to be inserted into the open like is.- eliminated in handling and shipping in position. The illustrated form of Figs. 1, 2

and 3 is provided with a cardboard-tree 29'which is attached by its base to the bottom wall 26 of the compartment forming member 22. The faces of the walls of the compartment may have artistic matter cooperating with the object positioned therein to add to the dioramic effect, and I have found it advantageous to attach a mirror to the rear wall 23 to cause reflections to double the multi-planar effect induced by positioning of objects within the compartment.

From "the above description, it will be' seen that the device is a sturdily constructed one,

and that it can be sent through the mail and roughly handled without danger of breakage or injury. It will further be seen that the article is adapted to a great variety of novel and unique designs and configurations by reason of the construction thereof.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a story book having a frontispiece member constructed in accordance with my invention. A window I4 is provided in the front wall thereof having a transparent member similar to member I5 associated therewith if desired, through which the reader of the book may view a dioramic scene which may depict a scene described within the book or cooperate with intelligence portrayed on the face of the frontispiece member 30. It will be noted that in the illustration 1 have shown the portrayal of a mountain scene by associating the members 3| intended to represent the various peaks and ranges in different planes within the compartment. The resulting diorama has remarkable depth and is very life-like in appearance, 1

The bound leaves 32 of the book are fastened together by the member 33 which is of sufficient width to combine the said leaves with the frontispiece member to tie the same together as shown. A cover 34 is hingedly attached to the binding in the usual manner and is adapted to overlie the face of the frontispiece member 30 covering and protecting the diorama associated therewith.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modified form of my invention in which a window It is cut in the form of a tree. A scene, designated by the numeral 29, cut from cardboard or formed in any other suitable manner, is provided in a compartment similar to the compartment 22. Obv.ous y, three dimensional objects could be substituted for the scene 29. Inorderto permit the mailing of the article without further wraparticles of the character described. It should 7 be further obvious that by means of my invention a diorama may be depicted in a simple an very effective manner.

From. the description it should be seen that the construction of greeting folders and the like, in accordance with my invention, makes for a strong, sturdy, and durable device and one which cannot be easily misshapen or destroyed in handling or mailing. Hence, greeting folders and the like will last a considerable length of time and thus be available to convey their messages over extended periods of time. ther be obvious that the construction of folders and the like in accordance with my invention eliminates the necessity of superfluous containers, protective board, and wrapping as nec-- essary in shipping and handling of ordinary folders of the same type.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its ad vantage should be readily'understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the struc-- tural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

.1. In a device of the character described, a sleeve member having an opening in the'front face thereof, a shallow dish-like member disposed within said opening and having flanged edges overlying the edges of the opening, tabs 'formed in the said front face of the sleeve member engaging said flanges and holding same flatly against the said face, said dish-like member thereby forming a shallow cavity in the' front face of said sleeve member and having a substantially planar bottom wall capable of supporting face of said sleeve member and having a sub-- -stantially planar bottom wall capable of supporting objects thereon, a box member snugly encompassing said sleeve member whereby said box member is reenforced and stiffened by said sleeve member, said box member having a window formed in the front face registering with said shallow cavity whereby said cavity may be It should furseen from externally of said box to the exclusion of said flanges, tabs and sleeve member.

3. In a device of the character described, a sleeve member having an opening in the front face thereof, a shallow dish-like member disposed within said opening and having flanged edges overlying the edges of the opening, tabs formed in the said front face of the sleeve member engaging said flanges and holding same flat- 1y against the said face, said dish-like member thereby forming a shallow cavity in the front face of said sleeve member and having a substantially planar bottom wall capable of supporting objects thereon, a box member snugly encompassing said sleeve member whereby said box member is reenforced and stiffened by said sleeve member, said box member having a window formed in the front face registering with said shallow cavity whereby said cavity may be seen from externally of said box to the exclusion of said flanges, tabs and sleeve member, said box member being of the knock-down typ and adapted to have the sleeve member removably slid thereinto from one of the ends of said box, said tabs thereby preventing interference between said flanges and the opening edges of said box member.

4. In a device of the character described, a sleeve member having an opening in the front face thereof, a shallow dish-like member disposed within said opening and having flanged edges overlying the edges of the opening, tabs formed in the said front face of the sleeve member engaging said flanges and holding same flatly against the said face, said dish-like member thereby forming a shallow cavity in the front face of said sleeve member and having a substantially planar bottom wall capable of supporting objects thereon, a box member snugly encompassing said sleeve member whereby said box member is reenforced and stiffened by said sleeve member, said box member having a window formed in the front face registering with said shallow cavity whereby said cavity may be seen from externally of said box to the exclusion of said flanges, tabs and sleeve member, objects supported within said cavity and presenting a three dimensional diorama when viewed through said window, the remainder of the face of said box member being provided with indicia cooperating with said diorama to convey a message to the observer.

5. In a device of the character described, a sleeve member having an opening in the front face thereof, a shallow dish-like member disposed within said opening and having flanged edges overlying the edges of the opening, tabs formed in the said front face of the sleeve member engaging said flanges and holding same fiatly against the said face, said dish-like member thereby forming a shallow cavity in the front face of said sleeve member, a box member snugly encompassing said sleeve member whereby said box member is reenforced and stiffened by said sleeve member, said box member having a window formed in the front face registering with said shallow cavity whereby said cavity may be seen from externally of said box to the exclusion of said flanges, tabs and sleeve member, objects provided within said cavity and presenting a three dimensional diorama when viewed through said window, the remainder of the face of said 'box member being provided with intelligence cooperating with said diorama to convey a message to the observer, and a cover member hingedly attached to said box member and adapted to overlie the front face thereof, thereby concealing and protecting the window and cavity of the device and enabling the entire device to be mailed without further wrapping while at the same time providing address space for said mailing.

' HERMAN H. LOWENSTEIN. 

